Though most of the Muslim peoples of the Arabian peninsula speak Arabic and have similar ancestry and dress, they are not all one people. Among the two million inhabitants of Hadhramaut, there are 1,300 distinct Arab tribes! Even unity among the 151,000 Hadrami people is not very strong. Antagonism between townsfolk and wandering tribesmen has been so bitter that the towns are surrounded by stone walls to protect them from attack by their tribal countrymen.

Many Hadramis still practice the nomadic lifestyle of their ancient ancestors. But today approximately half of the Hadramis live in the towns and villages scattered through the deep valleys of their region. Even among these settled peoples, there are sharp distinctions, the highest social prestige belonging to the wealthy, educated Sadahs, who claim to be direct descendants of Muhammed. Hadramis rarely marry outside their own social level, and often live in segregated groups in separate parts of town. There is no national church for any of the people groups in South Yemen.

Story from Global Prayer Digest: At last they are home! Flinging the mooring rope to the wharf, the Hadrami sailor sings with joy, anticipating a reunion with his family. He feels sorry for the other Hadramis on board whose families are scattered across the Arabic Peninsula in East Africa, or even far away in Southeast Asia. Their homeland, Hadramaut, in the desert of Democratic (South) Yemen, simply could not support the entire tribe any longer.

Prayer Points

* Pray that Hadramis, wherever they live and whatever their ancestry, will respond to Christ's love.